Members in the News

Nickerson Law Group, an estate planning and business law firm recently relocated its office from Riverplace Plaza to Davenport Village in the Westlake area.   The move was prompted by the needs of the growing firm and a more centralized location.   Julia Nickerson, the founder of the law firm, has built long term lasting relationships with clients from West, North, and South Austin and the Davenport Location allows for a convenient commute from any area of Austin.  The group celebrated their Grand-Opening with existing clients, potential clients, and referral partners on Thursday June 9^th, 2011.

Julia Nickerson began practicing law in 1997 working for a large firm focusing on tax law, retirement benefits, business planning and estate planning.  After the birth of her first child in 2000, she almost lost her life.  Following this major event, Julia found her calling in Estate Planning.  Nickerson states “Having a legal plan, to protect you, your family, and your hard earned legacy is one of the most important steps you will take.”   The firm also represents families in dealing with the legal proceedings of probate and estate administration.  As well, the firm helps bring legal structure and peace of mind to clients who have children with special needs.

You can learn more about Nickerson Law Group and how it helps families throughout Austin at www.julianickerson.com.   This website offers loads of free informational reports, including THE TEN MOST COMMON LEGAL MISTAKES PARENTS MAKE and THE SPECIAL NEEDS FREEDOM GUIDE.  If you have been looking for someone to help your family get its legal affairs in order, the Nickerson Law Group invites you to schedule a personal Family Legal Planning Session today.   For more information call their office at 512.461.1383.

Nickerson Law Group would like our open house / ribbon cutting to be held on Thursday June 9 at noon.  We will have it catered from Maudies.  All are welcome!

Location:

Nickerson Law Group
3801 North Capital of Texas Highway, Suite J-220
Austin, TX  78746

PR Release:

Nickerson Law Group has moved and is now located in Davenport Village.  Julia Nickerson is an estate planning attorney who counsels families regarding the protection of assets, transfer of wealth and preservation of family values.  The law firm handles estate planning matters, probate, estate administration and business law issues.

The ribbon cutting and open house for their new office location is on Thursday June 9 at noon in their Davenport Village location.  All are welcome to attend the event which will be catered by Maudies.

Prior to moving to Davenport Village, the Nickerson Law Group was located in Riverplace Plaza; however, the firm outgrew that location–requiring the move.  Many four points residents and businesses are clients of the firm.

“After my father passed, I thought I could handle the probate process myself. I went to the probate court and attempted to get things started. Even with a legal background, I quickly learned that this specialized area of law had potential pitfalls of which I was not willing to risk. I was already overwhelmed with balancing my grief, the daily needs of my family and other community responsibilities.

Julia’s familiarity with the probate process and systematical approach to making sure all the legal documents are prepared and filed in a timely manner was a great source of comfort. I felt confident that I had sound legal advice and support to ensure that my father’s estate would be administered properly. Julia is very professional, compassionate and helped take a huge burden off my shoulders during a very difficult time of my life.” Jean W., Steiner Ranch

Julia Nickerson
Nickerson Law Group PC
julia@julianickerson.com
512.461.1383

Steiner neighbors publish relocation guide for Austin-area newcomers from the Hill Country News

Posted: Wednesday, May 11, 2011 12:47 pm | Updated: 12:50 pm, Wed May 11, 2011Lynette Haaland lynette.fourpoints@gmail.com Hill Country News

A Steiner Ranch cajun chef celebrates his first year in business after relocating to Austin after Hurricane Katrina wiped out his restaurant in New Orleans.

From the Hill Country News:

A Steiner Ranch cajun chef celebrates his first year in business after relocating to Austin after Hurricane Katrina wiped out his restaurant in New Orleans.

Chef Mike Thompson launched Nola Kitchen a year ago where he does in-home and on-site cooking demos. He brings in ingredients, pots and pans, and he entertains guests while cooking cajun and creole food.

“I’m excited to celebrate my first year,” Thompson said. He was inspired to cook by the ladies in his family who instilled in him a desire not to let the recipes go.

Some of those recipes include the things he cooks at parties: Oysters Rockefeller, Louisiana boiled shrimp with remoulade, Brie en Croute, crawfish canapes, crawfish etouffee, crab avocado and mango salsa, boudin, and pralines.

“We’ve always lived to eat. We discuss what we’ll eat for lunch while we are eating breakfast,” Thompson said.

Nola Kitchen, which gets its name from New Orleans, La., has cooked for a long list of groups and functions including wine groups, the Texas Civil Rights Group, local schools and University of Texas tailgate parties.

Prices vary depending on the menu but start around $25 per person.

Nola Kitchen also caters events and has had weddings in  Lago Vista, Lakeway and Cedar Park.

Thompson has worked on more than 100 weddings in his career, which started in 1988.

He went to culinary school at Johnson & Wales University in Vail, Colo. He was the recipient of  the University Director’s Distinguished Graduate Award, the school’s highest award for culinary and academic excellence.

He used his formal training and experience in all types of cuisine cooking in Vail and then St. Louis. He and his family then returned to their South Louisiana home where he opened Chef du Jour in 2001. But a few years later, Hurricane Katrina changed everything.

Thompson joined the leadership team of Whole Foods Market during his family’s evacuation in Baton Rouge. He moved back to New Orleans to re-open the storm-damaged Whole Foods store on Veterans Boulevard.

He and his family relocated to Austin with Whole Foods.

Last year he launched Nola Kitchen to get back to his first love.

In addition to cooking, Thompson is an Elvis impersonator who rides with 30 or so others on the Elvis Float during the Tucks Parade in New Orleans. This year the parade is on March 5, the Saturday before Mardi Gras.

For more information visit nolakitchen.com

From the Hill Country News:

In recognition of February being National Heart Month Austin real estate agency Bartlett Real Estate Group is organizing its second annual blood drive and calling on the Four Points community to join them in helping The Blood Center of Central Texas meet the needs of Central Texans. The Blood Center of Central Texas will have a bloodmobile bus at the Bartlett Real Estate Group parking lot from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.  Saturday, Feb. 19.

The agency is located just west of the intersection of RR 2222 and RR 620 next to Boathouse Grill.

According to the Blood and Tissue Center, those who donate quarterly could potentially save as many as eight lives per year.

“We had a great turn out for our first Blood Drive and are on track to double our numbers for 2011. The Four Points community is a very giving community and I am proud to live and work here,” said Bartlett co-owner Tom Radack.

From The Hill Country News:

Spectrum Home Services celebrated their grand opening with a ribbon cutting at Fion Wine Pub and Bistro. Members of Four Points Chamber of Commerce were on hand to congratulate owners Erin and Steve Kelly and welcome them as a new member of the growing organization of businesses in the Four Points region.

From The Hill Country News

AUSTIN — Four Points neighbors have shown their holiday giving spirit this season for both the Capital Area Food Bank and for area Coats for Kids programs.

Friends, neighbors and businesses again turned out in force to provide well over 120 bags of food for Bartlett Real Estate Group’s annual food drive supporting Capital Area Food Bank.

“There was so much food that it filled a 15-foot Wheaton Van Lines moving truck,” said Marissa Radack, co-owner of Bartlett Real Estate Group.

Bartlett was again the number one contributor for the Keller Williams Northwest Market Center thanks to the generosity of the Four Points community!

This year they partnered with Wheaton Van Lines who donated a truck to help deliver all the food collected from the Four Points area to the food bank.

In November Bartlett Real Estate Group held their second Annual Coats for Kids coat drive, sponsored by the Austin Junior League.

This community event enlisted local businesses and residents to help Bartlett Group meet their goal of donating over 100 coats for Texas children in need.

Bartlett Real Estate Group of Keller Williams is a business that serves the housing needs of this growing community. “Taking care of business goes beyond sales and customer service,” Radack said. “We feel that community service is an important part of being engaged in the community where we work, live and play.”

Bartlett continues their community support in February with a Blood Drive benefitting the Blood Center of Central Texas in recognition of National Heart Month.

More information on Bartlett Real Estate Group of Keller Williams can be found at www.thebartlettteam.com or by calling (512) 418-1435.

From The Hill Country News

Home sales are up in the Four Points area, and fewer homes are on the market, pushing inventory down.

“Without a doubt, we are seeing a strong trend of inventory reducing in most price ranges,” said Tim Moncrief, co-owner of Bartlett Real Estate Group Keller Williams Realty.

“This is a strong statement of how stable our area has become over the past year,” said Moncrief, who has been in real estate for 28 years.

A total of 59 homes were pending sales as of Dec. 1 in the River North (RN) area which includes River Place, Steiner Ranch, Grandview Hills and other Four Points neighborhoods.

“Compare that to 21 closings in November and 29 closings in October, and the 59 number will gain anyone’s attention,” Moncrief said.

Activity in the area noticeably kicked up after the election, and continued to increase with interest rate hikes.

Not all of those 59 pending sales will close in December, but “we are seeing more activity than we have seen in the last couple of years in the area,” he said.

Steiner Ranch this year has seen only one decreasing month in sales compared to last year. Greenshores has nearly quadrupled sales from last year, which is an obvious sign that the upper-end market is coming back, Moncrief said.

Inventory continues to drop from last year as well. Both River Place and Steiner Ranch have inventory levels at approximate levels prior to the mortgage market collapse.

“Inventory of homes up to $800,000 in the RN area have fallen within what economists consider ‘normal’ of four to six months of inventory for the first time in two years,” Moncrief said.

Steiner has seen a decrease in inventory every month this year compared to last year.

Moncrief predicts, if and when the demand increases consistently again, Four Points will have a shortage of homes and lots. This shortage will be offset to some degree by banks deciding to add “bank-owned inventory” into the market and potentially higher interest rates.

“Hopefully, the news will continue on a positive course this coming year,” Moncrief said.

Four Points is doing better compared to the greater Austin market, though the latter is holding its own in several categories, according to the Multiple Listing Service report released Dec. 20 by the Austin Board of Realtors. ABOR is a voluntary organization representing more than 8,000 licensed Realtors in Central Texas.

Home prices in Austin are up slightly, although volume of homes sold is down, the report states.

The volume of Austin area home sales in November was down 20 percent from November 2009. In the first 11 months of the year 16,477 homes were sold, down 6 percent compared to the same time period in 2009.

Austin residential real estate continues to hold value. Year-to-date, the median price has been $194,000, up 3 percent from 2009.

Also in the first 11 months, figures show that homes spent 4 percent fewer days on the market than in 2009.

“As has been the case for much of 2010, year-to-date figures paint a clearer picture of market conditions than month-to-month comparisons,” said John Horton, chairman of the ABOR.

More homes were sold in a large part of Austin last year in November because that is when the original homebuyer tax credits were set to expire. A last-minute decision extended them through the first part of 2010.

“Despite the fluctuations created by the tax credits in 2009 and 2010, Austin’s real estate market has remained stable. Austin homes are holding their value — even slightly increasing — and year-to-date, they have sold more quickly than in 2009,” Horton said.

Austin, TX, December 7, 2010 – AMC Publishing, LLC is proud to announce the launch of Four Points Living magazine- the magazine for all those who live, work and play in the Four Points area.

The premiere issue features editorials on two renowned Austin Chefs, top winter travel destinations, holiday décor, fashion, weddings and so much more.

Four Points Living magazine celebrates the Four Points community with editorials and features on culture, the arts, entertainment, business, fashion, interior design, real estate and travel.

“It’s the first magazine of its kind in Austin,” said Publisher, Anita C. Roberts. “Our magazine does not boast a city-wide audience, we focus on one area in Austin, which supports our vision to improve our city one community at a time.”  “This allows local small business owners the opportunity to advertise their products and services in a high-quality, full color publication.”

Four Points Living magazine is a unique concept which embraces excellence on all levels, as well as living life to the fullest. Four Points Living magazine is an excellent source for splendid editorials, fitness, travel, real estate and so much more.

Four Points Living magazine is direct mailed to homes and businesses in the Four Points area, to include Steiner Ranch, River Place and Volente communities. Readers may also subscribe to the publication at the website www.fourpointsliving.com

AMC Publishing, LLC is under the leadership of Anita C. Roberts, former television reporter and luxury Real Estate broker who now has another title under her helm.

Her first publication, Opulence magazine, is a luxury lifestyle publication for affluent Texans. Opulence magazine is Texas centric magazine which caters to the finer things in life.

Contact Anita C. Roberts, AMC Publishing, LLC, 5114 Balcones Woods, Ste. 307-345, Austin, TX 78759: Phone (512) 380-1611; Fax (512) 853-8679:

Website www.fourpointsliving.com

Four Points business member, Steve Rosebaugh, FocalPoint Coaching of Central Texas comments and advice were used for Ask the Experts on Austin Business Journal’s Entrepreneur Section in the December 3rd issue. He answered the question, “What should a new entrepreneur consider when building inventory so as to balance being able to meet fluid demand with having unsold product or excess capacity?”  For Steve’s comments you’ll need to get a copy of the paper or ask Steve!